This MBRS SCORE proposal will enable the college to create a research environment where students observe faculty engaging in research, thus motivating them to consider research as a career option. Thus this proposal will enable Tougaloo College to continue to play a key role in increase the applicant pool of minority biomedical scientists by motivating the students to pursue biomedical careers and more specifically biomedical research careers. Tougaloo College has a long history of commitment to the mission of the MBRS program of producing graduates who will be in the forefront of research. The science division of the college has several programs such as the MARC program, Alliance for Minority Progress program, Howard Hughes Medical Institute program and the Summer Science Program all of which ensure that we have a large pool of highly motivated students who will benefit from this program. Included in this proposal is one research project by Dr. Srinivasan who will be investigating the "Neuropeptides and other Endocrines as Physiological Switches Regulating Reproduction in a Moth". This will be a continuation of his current project investigating the neuroendocrine control of reproduction in moths. This proposal also includes a pilot project. Dr. Chinchar will be collaborating with a research at the University of Mississippi Medical Center to study the "identification, isolation, and characterization of catfish immune related genes".